District 17 Newsletter

Louisville Metro Government sent this bulletin at 02/19/2021 04:49 PM EST

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markus winkler - louisville metro council - district 17

February 19, 2021

Friday Thoughts

I hope this Friday finds you safe and well.

I know there has been some frustration this week with the condition of some of our roadways. I think there has also been some confusion over why some streets get treated and others do not. I certainly understand the frustration. So, how did we end up with the current list of roads cleared during winter weather events? In short, it was agreed at merger that services provided by the county would not be cut. Streets that were plowed at that time continue to be. Those that were not remain outside the scope of what we do and typically end up being handled by suburban cities or neighborhoods. More often than not this isn’t an issue because the snow tends to melt within a day or two. Every now and then, unfortunately, we have an event like this past week where we get large amounts of snow and/or ice.

I asked the administration repeatedly over the last few days to consider plowing additional streets when possible. Unfortunately, this was not an option. The Metro snow team has been working 12-hour days for the past week and a half just on the roads included in the snow plan. It would require incremental staff (and incremental plows) to do more and those resources would need to be recruited, hired, and trained. It is worth noting that we would likely not need these resources every year meaning the investment wouldn’t necessarily make sense. Trying to get "just a few" additional roads cleared is also a fairness issue. While I’m trying to get roads added, many other council people are as well. In other words, the answer isn’t as simple as just adding a street or two.

That said, I will be pushing for a review of the current snow routes and encouraging a discussion on what makes sense. After the arterial and collector roads are cleared, should there be a second and/or third tier cleared in extreme events? Are we utilizing our resources based on the biggest need and largest impact? I know this won’t solve the problems of this week, but it might help address the issue in the future.

In Metro Council news this week, I am happy to report that the deflection model I mentioned last week passed through committee and will move to the full Metro Council for approval. As a reminder, this plan would utilize mental health, substance abuse, and outreach professionals in response to non-emergency calls to the police. I think this program is needed in our community and am excited to see it move forward.

We also got an update on the Group Violence Initiative (GVI). This is a law enforcement strategy that has worked "miracles" in communities where it has been implemented in terms of dramatic reductions in the numbers of shootings and murders. Our current rates in these two areas are unacceptably high. This program seeks to align a number of agencies across local, state, and federal levels to intervene with potential perpetrators before an act of violence occurs. The necessary planning for this program is nearly complete, so we should see it in action beginning in a few weeks. I am hopeful this will start to dramatically reduce our rates of violent crime. 

As always, please don't hesitate to email me or call my office to discuss any of these issues or if I may help in some way.

Contact the District 17 Office

Markus Winkler
17th District Councilman

502.574.1117
markus.winkler@louisvilleky.gov

 

Kip Eatherly
Legislative Aide

502.574.3462
kip.eatherly@louisvilleky.gov

Important Numbers

Animal Services   473-7387
Codes & Regulations   574-2508
EACM   426-2824
Health & Wellness   574-6520
Jefferson Co. Clerk   574-5700
KY Science Center   561-6100
LG&E   589-1444
LMPD (8th Division)   574-2258
Louisville Water   583-6610
Louisville Zoo   459-2181
Mayor's Office   574-2003
MSD   540-6000
NE Regional Library   394-0379
Parks   574-7275
Planning   574-6230
Public Works   574-5810
TARC   585-1234

Virtual "Coffee With Your Councilman" - March 2

8th Division

Above is a map of the area covered by LMPD's 8th Division. Major Andrea Brown will be our guest at the next "Coffee With Your Councilman."


My next "Coffee With Your Councilman" will be a virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 2 from 9-10 a.m. Major Andrea Brown with LMPD's 8th Division will be our featured guest. Major Brown will discuss crime trends in the division, share information about their new facility on Goose Creek Road, and take time to answer questions as well. After Major Brown is finished, I'll update those attending on what the Metro Council is working on currently. 

If you're interested in joining us, please call my office at 574-1117 or send an email to kip.eatherly@louisvilleky.gov so we can send you the meeting link. I hope to see you March 2.

COVID Update

Vaccinations continue for those in Phase 1B which includes non-medical first responders, educators, and individuals 70 and older. More than 40,000 residents have now completed the vaccine series. (At our current rate of vaccine supply, we expect to work our way through everyone in 1A and 1B by April.) If you are in 1B but have not yet received the vaccine, click here to register through one of our four healthcare partners. Those in Phase 1C can register here for weekly updates.

Weekly Planning Activity Report

If you're unfamiliar with the weekly report from Metro Planning and Design Services, it's a great way to stay current on new land use applications in the district and throughout the county. Yesterday's report included a project involving a patio home community located at 11001 Jordain Drive. The request is to change the style of building and reduce the total number of condominium units to 79 on 12.7 acres just west of the KY 22/Murphy Lane intersection. Please email Joel Dock at joel.dock@louisvilleky.gov with any questions or comments.

EACM Needs

Eastern Area Community Ministries (EACM) has for years done an incredible job serving families in eastern Jefferson County who are experiencing a crisis or facing an urgent need of some kind. EACM's importance has been even more apparent since the onset of COVID. Last year alone, they distributed more than half a million dollars in housing assistance and more than $100,000 in electric/water assistance.

However, there are still needs to which they need help responding. Some of the programs used by those who visit EACM do not allow non-food items to be purchased. Therefore, toiletries and personal care items (particularly toilet paper and laundry detergent) are always in high demand. If you can assist by donating items such as these, please drop them off at the EACM office located at 9104 Westport Road. This can be done Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Visit the EACM website for more information.

Free Trees

tree

This is an example of what your one-gallon container tree might look like.


TreesLouisville's Community Canopy Program is back thanks to a generous donation from the LG&E and KU Foundation. This program provides Louisville residents a free tree from one of six different varieties such as black tupelo, sweetgum, and eastern redbud. These will be delivered in one-gallon containers between March and May. Register online here to reserve your tree as well as learn how to care for and plant your tree.

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